Ogami musashi wrote:
Like with plane, work can be done in laminar flow, laminar flow are better both for downforce generation and drag reduction because they stay attached, so tunable easily and far more stable.
Not necessarily. A laminar boundayr layer will seperate much sooner due to the smaller velocity gradient near the wall surface.
In a turbulent boundary layer the random nature of the flow means energy from the freestream is passed into the lower regions of the boundary layer, thus increasing the velocity gradient (dv/dy) near the wall.
Laminar flow does result in a reduction in skin friction drag which is the dominant drag mechanism for streamlined devices (like airfoils). But for big ugly bluff bodies, like an F1 car, pressure drag is the dominant drag mechanism, so turbulence in the boundary layer actually becomes beneficial in order to delay separation. Laminar boundary layers will seperate much earlier, and thus will lead to an increase in pressure drag.
Shark skin and golf ball dimples innit!
